Peter Stock, from the San Francisco Bay area, joined Mark for two days, hoping for the Matterhorn.

Starting out in hot, sunny weather. The route was quite snowy, still recovering from a recent storm, but looking good.

Kathy accompanied them to the Hörnli hut, for company and to knit them some warm clothing! Someone’s gotta look after these guys, after all.

At the hut, we tried to order small beers, but all they had were large! Drink up!

That evening, a very violent thunderstorm sat on top of the Matterhorn for over an hour just at nightfall, leaving the rock covered in hail and rain which froze in the course of the clear, cold night. By wake-up time, the lower route was thickly verglased. This was agonizing, since it would melt off quickly in the morning sun, but by then it would be too late to do the climb. Rather than start up in conditions that would clearly not allow them to summit in time, Mark and Peter opted to salvage the day by heading down early and taking in the Breithorn half traverse.

Not a bad consolation prize, really!

The Monte Rosa in the background.

No comment needed!

I just put this in because there are so few pictures of Mark around….